QUESTIONING CHRISTIANITIY
What is Christianity? Some Canadians say it is a human-made religion that seeks to control people or to make us feel better about the meaninglessness of existence. Others say it is a religion rooted in fear where God gives us an ultimatum: Be good or go to Hell. But Christianity is far more than any of these theories suggests. Christianity is about knowing God. It is about God making a way for us to know Him personally and intimately.
​
At Redeemer, we have a number of ways to explore what it means to be a Christian. You can join our weekly worship service, join a life group, or serve at the church or in the community. We also have a regular introduction to Christianity series where you can not only learn but also connect with others who are exploring Christianity.
​
Of course, our staff would also love to connect with you over coffee ( to chat about any questions you might have and to get to know you. Feel free to reach out to us at office@redeemerbible.ca.
Below you can find some resources that can help you learn more about Christianity and what it means to be a Christian.
WHO IS JESUS?
The basic premise of the “gospel” (the good news) is offensive to most modern Canadians. Why? Because it tells us that we are broken and lost and that the reason we struggle to be at peace with ourselves, others and nature is that we are not at peace with God. Canadians don’t like to be told that they are “sinners” and that we cannot put ourselves back together or find our own way to peace, but need someone else, Jesus, to put us back together. The incredible truth of the gospel is that God came to save us and that He did this through Jesus, His Son. Jesus lived the perfect life that we could never live, and though he deserved to be honoured by God for living this perfect life, he instead took the punishment that we deserved, and then transferred the credit and reward He deserved to those who confess that they need Jesus to save them and then trust that Jesus died for them.
This means that Christianity doesn’t say “Obey and then be saved”, but instead “You are saved so you can obey”. Because we are saved freely by grace, we find that we start to want to obey God and that we start to resemble Him as He shapes us. This is why it is called the “good news”, because it is a done deal – if you repent and trust in Jesus as your Saviour, your sins are forgiven by God and you are now a “son” of God.
WHAT NOW?
We are not only saved from punishment for our sins, but we are saved for a mission. God has a plan to restore all the world, and though he will one day return to “make all things new”, he has a plan to introduce every person on earth to Him through His Church. The Church is made up of Christians around the world organized into local churches everywhere. Redeemer is one such church. We are not saved in order to then isolate ourselves, but to enter into relationship with other Christians and to worship God together, encourage and care for one another, and serve our city and world through acts of mercy and sharing knowledge of God with others.
We would love to have you join us at Redeemer as we seek to grow together and be agents of gospel change in the Niagara region.
Should you want to connect with a member of our staff to talk about Christianity, Jesus, the Bible and faith, feel free to reach out to us at office@redeemerbible.ca.